Saint iFcancis of ^nninu 47 



{■Aid, ** O wretched Brother Francis," etc., 

 Brother Leo replied : " Our Heavenly 

 Father, whofe mercy is infinitely greater 

 than are thy fins, will have mercy upon 

 thee and will pour His grace upon thee." 

 At this anfwer Saint Francis was gently 

 enraged and meekly difturbed, faying to 

 Brother Leo, "And wherefore do you make 

 fo bold to a6l contrary to your vow of obe- 

 dience, and have fo many times made an- 

 fwer contrary to that which I charged you 

 to fay }" Brother Leo replied very humbly 

 and reverently, " God the Lord knoweth the 

 why and the wherefore, my Father, for every 

 time I have fchooled my heart to anfwer 

 as you did bid me ; but the Lord made 

 me fpeak as beft it pleafed Him, and not 

 according as was pleafmg in my fight." 

 At which thing Saint Francis marvelled, 

 and faid to Brother Leo, " I pray you moft 

 lovingly that this time you anfwer me as I 

 do bid you." Brother Leo replied, " Say on, 

 in God's name, for affuredly I will now 

 make anfwer as you would have me." And 

 Saint Francis, weeping, faid, "O wicked 

 Brother Francis, doft thou think that God 

 will fhow mercy unto thee } " Brother Leo 

 anfwered him, faying, ** Ay, and great grace 



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